Twit Romney on Civil Liberties

In case you missed it, the Republicans had another debate last month. If you did, it would be understandable given the predictability, inanity and sheer mind-numbing idiocy of these meaningless shows. Seriously, the election is still nearly a year away and already we’re having debates and blabbing endlessly about who’s the front-runner and who’s got a serious chance at becoming President? I’ll answer both questions for you: the next President won’t be a Republican, unless the GOP corruption machine swings into overdrive and rigs yet another election in 2008.

Perhaps I shouldn’t speak about that so loudly. I’d like to avoid waking up in one of Bush’s gulags tomorrow. Well, what’s the point of having freedom of speech and the right to criticize your government if you don’t use it once in a while?

GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY: “… could lead to the violent death of Americans. We need to know about that, track them, follow them and make sure that in every way we can we know what they’re doing and where they’re doing it. And if it means we have to go into a mosque to wiretap or a church then that’s exactly where we’re going to go. Because we’re going to do whatever it takes to protect the American people. And I hear from time to time people say ‘Hey, wait a second. We have civil liberties we have to worry about.’ But don’t forget, the most important civil liberty I expect from my government is my right to be kept alive.”

Ah yes. That’s exactly what the founding fathers fought so hard to preserve. The right to be kept alive, even at the cost of the government invading our privacy and denying our rights of freedom of assembly, protection from unreasonable search and seizure, Habeas Corpus, protection from self-incrimination, etc. Because, you know, unless you’re alive, none of your other rights mean anything. At least, according to neocon half-wit Laura Ingraham:

LAURA INGRAHAM: “I thought that was the best moment of the night for Romney. No doubt about it. Without security or safety the whole debate about civil liberties is much ado about nothing. Okay? Simple as that. If we have to into a mosque, we’ll go into a mosque. If we have to go into a prison where they’re converting people to Islam we’re going to go into the prison. If we have to into Starbucks in Northern Virginia where we apparently have a corridor of suspicious activity then we’ll go into the Starbucks. If we have to into the 7-11 parking lot we’ll go there too. If we have to hit the day laborer centers where illegal aliens hang out we’ll go there. That’s what people want to hear in this country. They want to hear about how we can keep this country safe and what measures are you going to take to do it.”

“Much ado about nothing?” How ignorant can you get? What Ms. Ingraham is talking about here is nothing short of a police state. The jackboots of fascism are on the march, people, but this time they’re made by Gucci, Bruno Magli and Prada.

And they’re worn by handsome men in tailored suits who tell us that our civil rights mean nothing, and if we have to relinquish a few to stay safe and secure, then that’s what he’ll do.

In case you think I’ve made this up, click here. The above quotes were taken directly from the Twit’s own web site. The scariest part is he’s actually proud of having spouted this line of lunacy.

Now, of course I want to be safe and secure. The right to be secure in our homes is one of the rights the founders fought for. That, and the right to be free from harassment by the government. And the right to have and express opinions contrary to the official line.

If necessary we must be prepared to give our lives to defend these liberties. The terrorists aren’t trying to take them away; the Republicans are. It started with the so-called “USA PATRIOT Act”. Where will it end?

I’d leave you with a final thought, this one from Ben Franklin, one of the greatest of our national ancestors:

“Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both.”